Stable

Sure, I understand that there are "better" players out there than Ake that we could go and sign - but we've got 3 CB's (Dias/Stones/Laporte) who've been great for us and deserve starting places as it is, we don't need a top quality 4th choice CB, just one who is good enough to step up in times of need and likely in cup games. If we sold Ake and went and signed a Kounde/Gvardiol/De Ligt they'll be expecting plenty of game time, but at the expense of who? And then if they do displace a Stones/Laporte, then I'd expect whoever they displace to then want to leave next season and it continues the roundabout. I don't see it being possible to keep 4 top quality CB's happy at a club, I think 3 and a third slightly more flexible option like Ake is about as good as it gets (which is why I'm happy in this area as things stand!).

I'll give my (City fan) perspective. I don't really get why we would do this deal - we always get injuries at the back, and have consistently needed to use our back-up defenders fairly heavily through most seasons. Ake played well for us last season, he's fast, OK on the ball, can cover both LCB and LB and counts as home grown I believe. If we sell him, we just need to go and find another equivocal player to fill that role with who knows what results, we already know what we have with Ake and he's a good player. My only real gripe with him is that he seemed injured just as much as our other defenders even whilst only playing half as many games. As sad as it is to see Jesus/Sterling leave, their sales made sense as we were going to lose them for nothing next season. With Ake there is no rush to sell, and just causes us an unnecessary hunt for another back-up defender in a season where we are already making some big changes to our squad. So I for one am hoping we stay firm and keep him.

City fans opinion here: Jesus - people are sad to see him go and we'd rather keep him, he's a vastly underrated team player who has a great all round game, great work ethic and a decent goal contribution record. He never complains, does the dirty work, loved scoring in big games. He just didn't have that killer striker instinct that Aguero (and hopefully Haaland) have to make him a 30 goal a season striker. If you just look at stats and see highlights you make find him underwhelming, but when watched for 90 minutes week in week out he's a fantastic asset to any team, I'd be amazed if Arsenal didn't find him a good signing. Sterling - people are probably a bit less sad to see him go, I fully appreciate what a great signing he has been for us but it has started to feel a bit like his time here has been winding down. This last couple of seasons his form hasn't been what it used to be, when he's on form he looks unstoppable, but when he's not on form you can wonder how he's a professional footballer. If you can get him back firing to his form from a couple of seasons ago he'll be an amazing signing, but even in current form he's hardly going to be a bad signing, consistently contributes 20+ goals a season as a winger. Just seems like a reset from both City and Sterlings point of view may be best for both, and this may well benefit Chelsea - he's PL proven, still only 27 and will always bring that threat of a goal with his intelligence and movement. He's also the sort of player who causes Citys defence problems, so no doubt you'll have the joy of him causing some havoc against us (and hopefully missing his easy chance!).

Yeah that seems clear, feel Stones will develop well alongside Kompany, but a big risk as to whether he can stay fit for a season. If we don't sign another CB a lot of our season could well hinge on that risk. Good luck to your lot too, Chelsea are hard to pin down as to how it'll go next season, seem to have a few issues in the transfer window that are seemingly getting sorted (e.g. Morata coming in), but will be hard to repeat a season like last with Europe added in. Should be a good watch. Most managers will want 2 players for each position. Currently City have 2 keepers (Ederson/Bravo), 1 RB (Walker), 0 LB, 4 CB (Kompany, Stones, Otamendi, Kolarov), 3 DM (Gundogan, Yaya, Fernandinho; Delph + Fernando are seemingly on the out), 3 CM (Silva, Silva, De Bruyne), 1 RW (Sterling), 1 LW (Sane), 2 ST (Aguero, Jesus). You've named the same player a few times for multiple positions (e.g. Jesus as a striker & a winger), which while great to have versatility, it doesn't work like that in reality - an injury to that versatile player & suddenly your down a winger AND a striker if that's how you see the player - it's also important to distinguish D. Silva/De Bruyne as having a deeper role under Pep than their past positions, they're now CM's for City in our 4-3-3 rather than grouped in with our forwards. You need to take formations into account, with your formation you only play 2 CM's & 3 forwards, we'll have an extra body in there. So you've got Cesc, Kante, Matic & Bakayoko for 2 spots (or replace Matic with the names you mentioned; I'm not up to date on Chelsea ins/outs happening currently), and Willian, Pedro, Hazard for 2 positions, Michy & Morata for 1 position - I'd say you're also one winger short of ideal (or of course use someone like Kenedy as option #4). Like you say B. Silva can play wide, and so can KDB, but I can certainly see the logic in us wanting another natural wide forward player - an injury to Sane/Sterling & we're already having to play players out of position.

City fan here, he did say another 3-4, but currently we have 1 fullback (Walker) not counting Kolarov who was our 4th choice CB for last season rather than a LB (and is rumoured to be leaving also!) - as we've released 3, hence the Mendy/Danilo links. We have 2 natural wingers (Sane + Sterling) as we've sold/released Nolito/Navas & look like selling Iheanacho (hence the Sanchez links). And we'll only have 3 CB's if Kolarov leaves, and whilst no specific names have been mentioned there are talks of us hunting a CB also. The 4 will likely be Mendy (if Monaco eventually give in), Danilo (seemingly), a CB & some versatile forward (don't see Arsenal letting us have Sanchez for any amount of money). So whilst we are spending a lot & seemingly going for a lot of players I don't believe they're silly purchases, just a big transition couple of seasons last one & this one! In terms of Danilo on paper it seems a weird one for us, having just spent £45m on Walker, but I expect he'll be covering for 3 positions rather than our benched RB; he can play LB & has on occasion played in midfield - he could well be our replacement for Sagna + Clichy + Fernando combined. So I expect he'll be our backup fullback for either side, and last resort as defensive midfielder. Will free up some wages, some squad places, and save us having to splash out another £30m on a second left-back after Mendy (or whomever we end up getting).